I think my children are playing with a ghost

[Concerned parent]

Hi I'm new to the forum, and don't normally do forums and certainly never thought I would be posting on a paranormal forum. But needed to discuss events with open minded people, pretty much all of my friends are hard as nails forestry workers and would laugh me out of the room.
My family and I recently moved to a 15th century cottage in the UK. Lovely place all really happy here, but not long after moving in on more than one occasion have heard my eldest son who is six laughing and chatting away in the boysbedroom, I go in there expecting to find his younger brother and sister playing with him but he is by himself and went sheepish when I asked who he was talking to. Then a few nights ago I heard him so went in to make sure he was ok, found him sitting up in bed wide awake and he said the house is fine now everything is ok but something happened a long time ago. He kept saying it but wouldn't give anymore detail. At this point I decided to discuss it with my wife even though I felt a bit silly, she then confessed that had also found our six year old by himself in his room talking and laughing by himself, and I stress this not normal for him started once we moved in to the cottage. Night before last heard his younger brother wake and he sounded agitated, went to make sure he was ok. Found him right on edge of bed and he was complaining that his older brother kept trying to get into bed with him and taking up all the room, the six year old was sound asleep in his own bed. Also our three year old daughter has started going to play by herself in her room and same thing lots of laughing and talking but no one there. And once again not really normal behavior for her.
I don't feel scared, but I do feel out of my depth.
Thanks for reading.

 

[7Critter]

Welcome CP, to the ParaNormal Forum. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[Duke]

Hi I'm new to the forum, and don't normally do forums and certainly never thought I would be posting on a paranormal forum. But needed to discuss events with open minded people, pretty much all of my friends are hard as nails forestry workers and would laugh me out of the room.
My family and I recently moved to a 15th century cottage in the UK. Lovely place all really happy here, but not long after moving in on more than one occasion have heard my eldest son who is six laughing and chatting away in the boysbedroom, I go in there expecting to find his younger brother and sister playing with him but he is by himself and went sheepish when I asked who he was talking to. Then a few nights ago I heard him so went in to make sure he was ok, found him sitting up in bed wide awake and he said the house is fine now everything is ok but something happened a long time ago. He kept saying it but wouldn't give anymore detail. At this point I decided to discuss it with my wife even though I felt a bit silly, she then confessed that had also found our six year old by himself in his room talking and laughing by himself, and I stress this not normal for him started once we moved in to the cottage. Night before last heard his younger brother wake and he sounded agitated, went to make sure he was ok. Found him right on edge of bed and he was complaining that his older brother kept trying to get into bed with him and taking up all the room, the six year old was sound asleep in his own bed. Also our three year old daughter has started going to play by herself in her room and same thing lots of laughing and talking but no one there. And once again not really normal behavior for her.
I don't feel scared, but I do feel out of my depth.
Thanks for reading.

Hello CP, and welcome to the forum. Have you done any research on the history of the cottage? Were their occupants immediately prior to you and your family moving in, or had it been vacant for a period of time?

 

[Concerned parent]

Hi duke, thanks for replying, a young couple lived there prior to us but they only stayed a few months unfortunately don't have any contact details for them. Before them the house was empty for a short time for renovation work. Prior to that according to neighbors the house had been in the same family for generations, trying to make contact with the family and I have asked a local historian if they have any information on the house, but they are yet to get back to me.

 

[Debi]

Hi duke, thanks for replying, a young couple lived there prior to us but they only stayed a few months unfortunately don't have any contact details for them. Before them the house was empty for a short time for renovation work. Prior to that according to neighbors the house had been in the same family for generations, trying to make contact with the family and I have asked a local historian if they have any information on the house, but they are yet to get back to me.

Hi, CP. So far you are doing everything right to find out what you need to know. History of the home and past experiences in the home is essential to understanding what is happening there. I first and foremost applaud you for recognizing the change in behavior of your children and being willing to look at a possible paranormal explanation. IMO, there is nothing more important in the paranormal world than being sure we are there for our kids if something like this occurs. Another question of mine is do you have any close relatives (grandma, aunt, grandpa) that has recently passed?

The fact there were recent renovations is something that is often a trigger for activity. Continue to gather the history that you can and do that research. In the meantime, I'd like to offer you a few other suggestions.

See if the kids will offer up any further details in simple conversations. Perhaps spend time with them in their rooms in play and see what happens during some play time together, such as this new friend showing up and being acknowledged. You might also "claim your space" by letting it know it is not to touch your kids or interact with them. I will add a link here of guidelines we suggest using. At worst you are talking to empty air...if there is something there you are laying down rules for it and letting it know you are aware of it.

You might also consider having the house blessed. This has been effective in many situations such as this. If you have specific questions, please ask us.

PNF Suggestions for Paranormal Activity Problems

 

[Concerned parent]

Hi Debi, thank you for your reply. There has been no recent deaths in the family. I will try and interact when the opportunity arises. Hoping our eldest son will part with a bit more information in time.
If things stay as they are, I think we could live with it. The children don't seem scared or upset in anyway, everyone is really happy and my wife says the house has a really good energy. My main concern is if the magnitude of it's interaction with children increases or it gets negative.

 

[garnetsilver]

Also, are any of you artistic? Perhaps a family drawing or painting session will reveal something interesting. Just have everyone draw or paint whatever they want.

 

[Concerned parent]

Thanks garnetsilver could be worth a go the kids love drawing and painting. Have just tried to talk to my six year old again. He said the house is fine the house is ok and that the garden was different then when something happened, he nearly said a name but then he just changed the conversation and wouldn't talk about it anymore. Soon as we finished talking he wanted to go to their room even though he had been playing happily.

 

[Debi]

CP, I also want to throw into the mix the possibility this is not paranormal. To be clear, I'm not saying it isn't, but we have to allow for the possibility it's simply young children learning to adapt and cope to a new setting, new rooms, new house, and a lot of changes. You have young kids there who are already living in some very scary times. Add a move to a new place, change of friends, etc., you do have a possibility of young ones just trying to cope with it all with an imaginary safe friend. When my children were young, I ran into a mix of this...they at one time did live in an actual haunted house and did have experiences. But another time was simply a sudden move from one environment to another where two of my boys needed a friend to help them through it. Which brings me to the next thought here.

Another possible is Angels and spirit guides may be with them. Since you are not feeling anything malevolent at this point, you may want to take the watch and see approach to this for a bit.

 

[Concerned parent]

This is really what I'm hoping for Debi, and what I was telling myself when things started to happen. It's just as more things have happened and all the children now seem to be involved it got me thinking there could be more to it.